The Heart of the Sad-Eyed
by Dark Youko
Summary: The Reikai Tantei are called in to investigate a kidnapping and meet up with more than they expected. Contains yaoi and some profanity
1. Reaching for the Sun

  
The Heart of The Sad-Eyed: Part 1  
Written by: Dark Youko  
  
Regular disclaimers apply. Yu Yu Hakusho characters are not my   
property,but rather the property of Yoshihiro Togashi, but as always I   
stake my claim to The Sad-Eyed and all other characters not affiliated   
with YYH. Please feel free to read and review, your criticism is   
welcome. =)   
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
~~It's hard looking up at the stars sometimes.... Sometimes their   
brightness burns with the intensity of the sun for me....sometimes I   
can't see them, and it makes me think there isn't anything out there for   
me..... Maybe there isn't. Maybe I'm by myself in a room of wandering   
shades, listening as the hours and minutes of my life just tick tock   
away. How depressing.... I really have to find something more   
interesting to do other than stare out an iron-bar window.~~  
  
The words scrawled slowly across the cold gray surface of his   
cell, and for a moment he sat back, contemplating them with bright   
prismatic eyes.After a moment he crumbled the bit of burned wood he'd   
used to write the words with in his fist and with a gutteral growl he   
viciously wiped his forearm along the delicate black scratches...marring   
them beyond comprehension. He closed his eyes for a moment, and heard   
the sound of his wings shifting unconsciously in response to his   
meloncholy emotions. How long had he been locked in this place? He   
thought for a moment, unable to recall a day when he'd felt wind on his   
face, or sun on his back. Finally, though the stars were painful, he   
looked up and out of the barred circular opening high above him. He   
could see the edge of the moon peeking from the barred space like a   
smile and he smiled back before turning away from his little circle of   
light and curling into a comfortable, familiar dark corner.   
For a moment he continued looking up at the opening from his   
corner, and he only caught the barest glimpse of the moon's smile before   
he settled back and sighed. Then with a slow weariness like that of an   
old man, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.  
  
  
~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
Botan was waiting for them just as school ended, and Yusuke had to   
supress a sigh of disappointment. He was hoping that he would manage to   
have a break this weekend, but from the look of the blue-haired spirit-  
guide there was no such luck of that. Suddenly Kurama sidled up next to   
him and he looked at the redhead curiously. Kurama was looking in   
Botan's direction with a sort of bemused smile on his face as he carried   
his bookbag over one shoulder. "I wonder what's up now." Kurama sighed   
with a hint of amusement behind the words.   
Yusuke raised an eyebrow. He'd been wondering what was up with   
Kurama all week. For some ungodly reason the redhead seemed impossibly   
more friendly and amiable. And whenever Yusuke saw the half-youko he   
had the impression that the only way to get that smile off Kurama's face   
was to pry it off with a spatula. Now, there again, Yusuke saw that   
infectious smile on the redhead's face and he only shrugged as the two   
of them went to meet Botan.  
"Oi, Botan-chan." Yusuke greeted, recieving a cheerful wave in   
return. "What's up?"  
Botan's smile fell a bit then she sweatdropped and said, "It's   
probably something best heard from Koenma...."  
Both Reikai Tantai raised an eyebrow at her. She'd never   
hesitated to give details about ANYTHING before..... But nevertheless   
they only looked at each other questioningly before shrugging and   
looking back at her. She quickly summoned her oar and hopped on,   
hovering in midair as she said, "I've already managed to get   
Kuwabara and Hiei informed....now all we have to do is pick up the big   
guy and we're off!"  
Kurama nodded. "I'll meet you there." He said and turned to   
follow the street. Yusuke sent him a thumbs up and quickly hopped up on   
the oar behind Botan. He knew that Kurama would be waiting for them   
long before they even got to Koenma's office. They met with Kuwabara   
not long after and by the time they got to Koenma's office, sure enough,   
Kurama and the Prince of the Dead both waited for them. But there was   
someone else there too.  
It looked like a young female youkai, with long dark hair   
decorated by numerous braids braided randomly throughout, while a pair   
of gold-green eyes shined like jems in her fine features. She had long   
tapering elf ears, neatly accented by her hair, and they could tell   
right off she wasn't exactly like many of the destitude youkai that   
they'd met before...it was obvious that she was pretty well off in the   
world. Her clothes were well made and looked very noble on her, and it   
was apparent immediately that she wasn't really used to being told "no."   
When she looked at them her eyes were as cold as ice and blank of all emotion, she only flicked her eyes to them, once, as if bored, then she   
turned back to look at Koenma.  
"Are these all of them?" She asked.  
Koenma gave a start at the cold edge of demand in her voice...like   
her, he wasn't used to hearing that tone....he'd only heard Enma himself   
use that tone, and he had a right to. Finally he nodded and the woman   
looked around the room, taking in each of the Reikai Tantei with a   
critical gold-green gaze. Only then did Yusuke notice that Hiei now   
stood behind them, not far away, like a small shadow of black with   
blazing crimson eyes. When did he get there? Yusuke wondered   
momentarily before returning to look at the woman. She only sighed.  
"I hope they are enough to retrieve Pa'Tien." She whispered,   
closing her eyes as if disappointed. "If not then my people are lost."  
Kurama frowned slightly. "What do you mean your people are lost?"  
She only looked up at him impassively and there was a low rumble   
as if Hiei had growled. Then she suddenly turned to Koenma and said   
shortly, "Tell them."  
"This is Sha'veda. She is looking for a long-lost clanmember. Her   
Fiance' Pa'Tien. She says that he was kidnapped by evil youkai and she   
hasn't been able to find him since....she decided to come to us."   
Koenma answered. "NOW. The reason this is a job for you lot is because   
if Pa'Tien is not returned to his station in the temple of their god,   
then he'll throw a godly tantrum and destroy all of them. I'm not   
altogether sure if that will happen, but it's better not to try our   
luck."  
"I see." Yusuke said in a low whisper. "But if she couldn't find   
him how are we supposed to?" Kuwabara nodded in agreement.  
"Yeah! after all...there are three worlds to look in...." He said   
and both the friends nodded to each other.  
"I did not say that I COULD not find him...." The woman answered,   
removing a compass-like pendant from her throat. "It is more that when   
I did find him....I could go nowhere near the area of his imprisonment.   
I am strong...but not strong enough. I need help." She said softly then   
lifted the pendant to drape it around Yusuke's neck. "Take this....it   
will lead you to him. Like is pulled to like. Like me and Pa' Tien,   
this pendant is forever searching for it's counterpart, which Pa'Tien   
wears. It will help you. The slower the light blinks...the farther   
away he is... the faster the closer. It's not much, but it will lead   
you, nonetheless."  
"Right." Yusuke said, examining the silver gadget curiously.   
"Any other tips? You've gotten pretty close to finding him already,   
haven't you?"  
"Yes." She answered. "Make sure you always follow the   
moon....even as it sets. The days will be long for you, but   
remember....hours are just tickings on a clock....True time is when you   
believe you are ready to be where you should be."  
Yusuke looked at her for a long moment as the cryptic words took   
root, then finally he smiled and gave a nod as he lowered the pendant   
into his tank top collar. She gave a slight upturning of her lips then   
turned away and gave a bow to Koenma before turning to the door and   
disappearing into the hall. Yusuke followed her as she left, as did   
most of the Urameshi team, and as soon as she was gone they looked back   
at Koenma. "So." Kurama said finally. "We have to find this 'Pa'Tien'   
and bring him back? What exactly are we up against?"  
"Something that is obviously powerful...maybe an A-class. We   
couldn't afford to take any chances on this." Koenma answered and   
Kurama nodded. "I'll give you guys a day to rest before you get on the   
job. You all may want to find some way to get safely away from your   
lives for a while without raising suspicion." They all nodded at that   
except for Hiei who gave a low snort before disappearing in a flash of   
dark movement. Koenma dismissed them and Botan transported them back to   
the Nigenkai. Yusuke gave his mother a half-ass story about how he was   
going with his friends out of town on a road trip, and Kurama told his   
mother that he was going to spend some time with a sick friend in a town   
not far away to make sure things were going well.   
When she asked of this person's illness he gave her a somewhat sad   
look as he explained his friend was VERY ill and had requested he come   
to visit for a few days. She only hugged him kindly and said, "Well,   
when you see your friend tell them that I wish them the best of luck and   
that they get well soon, ne? And you be careful, Shuuichi...make sure   
you don't forget me in all the excitement, alright?"  
Shuuichi "Kurama" Minamino only smiled back at her and said, "Of   
course I won't Okasaan...and I'll bring back some nice flowers for the   
living room when I get back, okay?"  
She smiled delightedly and sent him off to rest and pack as she   
continued doing dishes, humming softly to herself.  
  
A day later, the Reikai Tantai met with Botan once again in their   
normal meeting place, the park, and they soon began wondering just how   
they were supposed to make out the slowly blinking compass. Finally   
Yusuke scratched his head and said, "Well there's no way to tell even   
which of the three worlds he's on.... It doesn't reallyhave anything to   
tell...."  
"Maybe if we tried all three of them...." Kurama suggested. "She   
said it would blink faster the closer we got, maybe it will speed up if   
we're on the right world." He reasoned, spreading his hands slightly.  
"Good idea!" Yusuke answered then suddenly it hit him.   
"Well...last I remember, it wasn't blinking any faster than this   
when we were in Koenma's office in the spirit world....so we'll try the   
Makai first. It stands to reason it should be faster there, ne?" Botan   
chimed suddenly, summoning her oar into her fist with a smile  
Yusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara nodded in agreement while Hiei only   
stood a little ways away from the group with his arms crossed over his   
chest. He gave a low grunt of agreement and soon Botan had transfered   
Yusuke and Kuwabara into the Makai forest, where Kurama and Hiei already   
awaited them. Once more the fox looked much like the cat that had   
caught the canary and Yusuke pursed his lips slightly in curiosity.   
~Just how does he do that?~ He thought momentarily before giving a   
momentary shrug and lifting the pendant from under his shirt. Sure   
enough the blinking had sped up slightly and he gave a small smile   
"Well, seems this is right." He said finally and then looked up. "She   
said to follow the moon...so where's the moon?"  
Hiei remained silent as he lifted one finger to point towards the   
western horizon where a lazy half moon lit the sky.  
"Oh." Yusuke mumbled and turned towards it. "Well, let's get   
going...we've got a ways to go....."  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
~~The rain feels good somedays.... Clean and quiet. But today the   
rain was angry, and spoke to me in the booming voice of thunder. But I   
don't mind...I like it I think. At least SOMEONE is talking to   
me...even if I can't really talk back....I don't think the rain would   
hear me....he is so high up after all.~~  
  
He scrawled the words in a slow trembling hand, for the rain   
poured down on him mercilessly through the opening above. There was   
hardly any light today, but the feel of the rain on his skin felt good.   
As soon as the words were written he lifted his face up to the opening,   
letting the cool raindrops touch his face and wash his cheeks. ~Falling   
forgiveness....~ He thought, smiling up at the storm cloud above that   
was blocking the moon. Who could ever hate the rain? He wondered,   
sudden calm filling him. For a moment he forgot that he was   
hungry....that he was tired.... he only remembered that he simply was   
and that it was a good day to be. He could smell damp earth outside,   
and the smell was heavenly as he forgot the damp musty smell of his   
cell. He was able to remember again that there was a world outside the   
sky above...that there was man and earth, beast and sea. It made him   
happy to remember it again.  
Then suddenly a flash of light caught his eye and he looked to his   
cellmate. He remembered the man had once told him stories of the trees   
and the forest...of a temple built to sadness and a woman with eyes like   
a hurricane. He'd loved the stories, but they'd gone away quickly,   
leaving him to remember the man fondly. For years he'd left the man as   
he was, curled in the corner and he remembered the man's final story.   
The story of the phoenix loving a rose. It was a beautiful story   
of a phoenix who loved a rose as white as snow, for there was only the   
white rose when these two lovers lived, and the rose that loved him, but   
could not open her petals to him for fear of his beauty. Then the day   
came when the phoenix returned to ash, calling out his love of her with   
his final breath as he slowly burned himself to ash. He remembered his   
happiness when the rose heard the words and opened her petals at last,   
allowing the ash to drape on her. "And that pairing, my sad-eyed   
friend," said the man in his thoughts, "Was what led to the birth of   
the red rose...."  
He smiled in memory of the words and slowly went to crouch beside   
the skeletal remains of his one friend. There were no stories in him   
now, save for the question of the pendant around his thin neck. It   
flashed dimly in lazy intervals and he tilted his head at it for a   
moment. He knew that the pendant had been very precious to his friend   
so he didn't remove it as he was inclined to, but simply lifted the   
cloth of his dead friend's shirt very carefully and let the pendant   
slowly fall beneath it's folds.  
~What a wonderful rainy day....~ He thought as he settled into a   
seat beside the withered corpse. Now he remembered his friend and the   
stories again. He'd almost forgotten them. He wasn't sure who to   
credit for this wonderful memory, so he simply gave the credit to the   
rain. It seemed to please the rain, for it wept with joy for the rest   
of the night, putting aside angry tears for a darker day.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
Kurama huddled low into his makeshift umbrella (A heavy blanket   
that he'd brought). It was his turn to be on watch and he sat beside   
the campfire, making sure that nothing nasty came after them in the   
middle of the night. The rain had made them all miserable when if began   
coming down in sheets. Finally they had to stop because the moon wasn't   
visible anymore and if they took another step they would likely sink in   
mud. He looked around the camp and saw that Yusuke was sprawled in the   
tent that he shared with poor Botan who had shrank as far away from   
Urameshi as she could get. She'd yelp almost everytime Yusuke shifted,   
for he would inevitably kick or knee her without knowing. Kuwabara was   
large enough to have a tent to himself, while Kurama's tent was leaned   
up against a tree, looking rather inviting in contrast to the soak he   
was recieving. ~And no doubt Hiei is already warm and happy as a clam   
in there....~ He grumbled mentally. Then suddenly the blanket shifted   
and when he looked to see what it was he saw a pair of bright ruby   
colored eyes staring at him impassively.  
"I was cold." Hiei grunted unhappily. Kurama knew immediately   
that it was a lie because as a fire demon Hiei COULDN'T get cold. It   
seemed to be the fire demon's nonchalant way of saying that he missed   
the half-youko's company.  
Kurama smiled, and gently wrapped his arms around the smaller   
demon's waist to pull him closer. "I guess I'll warm you up then, ne?"  
Hiei gave a shadow of a smile, just a brief turn of his lips, then   
shifted so that his cheek rested on Kurama's chest. Kurama sighed   
happily, nuzzling his nose in the soft spikey hair as he was warmed by   
the fire demon's own heat. The hair smelled like pine, and beneath it   
all was the softly inticing musky smell that was all Hiei. It had been   
a week since he'd confessed his love for the fire demon, and half of   
that week had been in the pursuit of getting the demon to believe him.   
But eventually his persistance had paid off...and now he had in his   
arms the one person who'd stirred his interest in ages. Whatever it   
was people said he'd have to sacrifice for love was already a small   
price to pay for the gifts he'd already recieved...who would want   
anything more than the key to a beautiful youkai's heart?  
Hiei gave a low huff and Kurama looked down at him. "I hate being   
wet." The half-koorime said shortly, giving him a meaningful look. "Go   
wake Stupid up and come to bed." He gave the equivolent of a wry smile   
then as he said, "There's nothing worse than the smell of a damp fox,   
so you may as well dry off before you kill us all."  
Kurama looked at him with mock-indignance and said, "I do not   
smell!" He then tugged a bit of the fire demon's spikey hair and   
grumbled, "And who cares if I'm wet.... that just means you have the joy   
of trying to dry me off."  
Hiei grunted and rolled his eyes skyward. "'Ch. That's all you   
think about."  
Kurama grinned and lightly kissed the tip of the fire-demon's   
nose. "Well, can you think of anything else I should think of?"  
"Hn." Hiei answered, and Kurama chuckled. Hiei then went back to   
their shared tent and Kurama stood with the damp blanket still draped   
over his head. He walked in the mush and went to nudge Kuwabara's   
protruding foot."Oi, Kuwabara-kun..." He called in an insistent   
whisper and the other redhead poked out his head to look at him with   
bleary eyes. "Hi." Kurama answered with a smile and a slight wave.   
"It's your turn on watch. I don't think I can keep awake much longer   
anyhow."  
Kuwabara grunted sleepily with a nod and his feet moved as he   
shifted the tent so he could look outside. "Gotcha Kurama. Go on to   
bed. I'm wide awake now."  
"Okay, thanks." Kurama said and sloshed over to his tent. As   
soon as he was in the tent he felt a wave of comfortable warmth fill his   
dampened skin and gave a sigh. Hiei was curled into the comforter and   
the demon only peeked a single blood red eye at him as he opened the   
tent flap. He smiled widely and Hiei grunted slightly as he moved to   
make a spot for the fox to rest. Kurama stepped into the tent,   
crouching down slightly to do so and began to peel off his dampened   
clothes. Hiei kept his gaze on the fox as the clothes slowly made their   
way off then finally when Kurama was pretty much bare Hiei shifted   
again, moving the comforter aside. Kurama's smile only brightened a bit   
and he slid down into the covers, taking Hiei into his arms lovingly,   
reveling in the warmth of his lover's embrace. It felt good to have him   
near on days like this, Kurama hated to be alone on rainy days.  
"Warm yet, fox?" Hiei rumbled as Kurama nuzzled his chest   
happily.  
"Mm hm." He answered and purred slightly when he felt Hiei's hand   
run through his hair. He was rewarded by a rich deep chuckle that he   
felt rumble out of his lover's chest like thunder and a light kiss on   
his forehead. He lifted up slightly, looking at Hiei with a   
mischievious light in his eyes as he grinned and said, "Now....  
care to try and dry me off, koibito?"  
Hiei only shook his head in amazement then lifted one hand to   
lightly run it across Kurama's fair cheek on back to cup his chin. "I'd   
love to." He answered, then leaned in to give Kurama a light almost   
chaste kiss as his rather damp partner curled both arms over his   
shoulders. He only took a brief moment to slid a blood red eye towards   
the lantern hanging not far away and with a though he extinguished the   
annoying light before he leaned Kurama back slowly. It was then he   
began his enjoyable task of drying the fox off with all the heat that   
the two of them could muster between them.  
Kuwabara in the meantime, was oblivious to it all as he only   
yawned and continued waiting for nasties to strike in the night.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
~~I wonder sometimes if anyone knows that I'm down here. Did they   
forget me when I didn't eat the last thing they threw down here? It   
doesn't really matter anyway...maybe if I'm lucky I'll be gone soon.   
Maybe I'll fly where the sky is always blue and there is never an angry   
raincloud. Only the nice ones that keep my skin cool on dark days.   
Maybe I'll feel the wind on my shoulders again...maybe I'll remember if   
I have a name. Yes...I think that would be a very good day....~~  
  
These words he carved into the wall with thin scratches he made   
with his long claws. He was tired, and lonely. He missed the rain's   
presence, and he missed his friend who still sat dead beside him. He   
finished his scratchings with a sigh and looked once more at the body   
beside him. The light under the threadbare tunic had continued flashing   
throughout the last two days, speeding up slightly as the days passed.   
He wondered what the flashing met with a growing curiousness, but he   
never moved to remove it nor even look at it from out of the dusty folds   
of his friend's tunic. He looked up at the dead features, staring into   
the hollow eyes as if searching for yet another story, and strangely   
enough, he found one.  
He remembered his friend telling him the story of one called The   
Sad-Eyed, who had known all the stories of the world and wove them into   
the tapestries of history. People came to call her The Sad-Eyed was   
named such for she could never leave her tower, lest she forget all that   
she had known. Then one day she saw in the bright Sight of her mind the   
valiant figure of a powerful warrior, whom she had loved as a child.   
She'd watched as he married and carried his strong children on his   
shoulders, and each day she longed for him to come to her. He never   
did. She then watched as her warrior-love's family fell to disease and   
she mourned with him. She saw her own sadness mirrored in his eyes, so   
she finally decided to leave her tower to comfort him. But as soon as   
she stepped from the tower, she did not remember him, or herself, or why   
she'd ever left the tower. She spent the rest of her days wandering the   
world, wondering what exactly it was she was looking for.  
He blinked slightly and saw again in his mind the face of his   
young, sickly friend. "You are somewhat like her I think..." He'd said   
with a somewhat strained smile. "I think I'll call you The Sad-Eyed. I   
hope you don't mind." He remembers shaking his head, no he didn't mind.   
He had a name now. What a wonderful day that had been!  
He sighed sadly, looking away from the hollow eyes as he turned to   
stare at the dark slick walls around him. Perhaps he was the Sad-  
Eyed...waiting for something to summon him out of his inverted tower.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
Three days after the Reikai Tantai had set out for their journey   
they came upon a huge decrepid castle. Some of the walls were crumbling   
with age while others had already collapsed under the weight of time.   
And the pendant was blinking steadily faster with every step they took.   
"That must be it." Yusuke whispered, crouching in a hedge of bushes not   
far from the withered compound.  
Kurama nodded, crouched not far away. Hiei hadn't bothered with   
the crouching and simply settled for looking on from a tree branch   
overhead. "The security seems lax." Kurama said quietly.  
"They weren't expecting anyone to find the place." Hiei   
concluded. "It would have been impossible for the woman to get in, but   
it should be no problem for us."They all nodded and soon they were   
making their way to where the wall was crumbled in and there was a   
cover of trees nearby as Botan waited for them in the cover of the   
trees. It was late in the night and no one saw anything in the way of   
guards, but there was still an aura of uneasiness about the place. Hiei   
knew automatically it was some type of fear-barrier that normally was   
strong enough to keep people away with an oppressive fear-aura. Too bad   
that sort of thing didn't really phaze the Reikai Tantai that   
much.As soon as they stepped from out of the barrier the fear bearing   
down on them lifted abruptly like a weight off their shoulders and   
Yusuke and Kuwabara sighed with relief. Kurama and Hiei snapped to   
automatic wariness, wondering just what had caused the sudden lift.   
There was something else in the air, something heated like flame with a   
sweet scent like that of decay. The scent finally hit Yusuke and   
Kuwabara who both groaned, covering their noses and mouths from the   
rancid scent. "Oh my god...!" Kuwabara gagged. "What the hell is   
that?!"  
Hiei only narrowed his eyes at the passage in front of them.   
There was a sound like shuffling feet and he quickly unsheathed his   
sword while Kurama snapped out his rosewhip. A few moments later a   
crowd of zombies shuffled out of the crumbling archway, flapping their   
useless tounges mindlessly as they lifted gnarled, fleshless hands   
towards them. One flopped it's head in Yusuke's direction and began   
lurching forward as it gazed at him with dead fish-like eyes and moved   
forward on legs that gave grotesque creeks when the kneecap occasionally   
slid out of place. Yusuke grimaced and lifted his hands into the rei   
gun. Kuwabara was already ready with Rei Ken, looking back and forth at   
the zombies with wide but alert eyes.  
Suddenly one of the zombies lurched at Yusuke and he yelled before   
taking off the zombie's head as well as that of the zombie behind it   
with a blinding blast from the Rei gun. It was then that the rest of   
them pounced like cats on particularly insistent mice. Kurama gasped as   
one of them flung itself onto him as he sliced one in half with the   
rosewhip. He felt teeth sink deep into his shoulder and growled as he   
flung the thing back, simulteously flinging a handful of razor-sharp   
leaf darts which thudded deep into the creature's skull and torso   
and causing it to fall back with a yowl. Hiei was a blinding blur of   
black heat, slicing and scorching wantonly through the numbers of the   
zombies, but the more he killed the numbers only seemed to increase.   
Only the ones he'd burned or beheaded stayed down while the others rose   
from fatal wounds to crawl or limp towards him again.   
He noticed that Yusuke was injured with an ugly wound that left   
one arm useless at his side, while Kuwabara continued slicing down the   
creatures for a while until he was suddenly drowned in a sea of decaying   
bodies. But he couldn't see Kurama. "KURAMA!" He called, looking   
around as he continued to cut down zombies left and right. Then finally   
he saw that the fox had been flung against a wall and there was a thin   
trickle of blood falling down his neck and from his hairline as he lay   
crumpled against the wall. There was a group of shuffling dead about   
him and Hiei saw automatically there was no way for him to get there in   
time. "NO!" He cried, flinging out one hand as he concentrated his ki   
into a white-hot rage. Black flame filled his palm and just as he was   
about to strike he saw a shadow loom over him.  
He paid it no mind as he unleashed the black flame, scorching the   
group of zombies around Kurama into ash before they could even take a   
step nearer to the fox. But it had cost him. He'd lost a good amount   
of ki in focusing his power into such a wide spread and as he turned to   
the shadow looming over him he felt his blood run cold. It was a wolf.   
That was the nearest description he had of the 13 foot THING that loomed   
over him. It's fur was as black as night, flowing with a grace like   
flame across the thing's skin, and the wolf-thing's eyes were burning   
pools of crimson as it bared huge tusk-like fangs at him. The only   
thing that threw off the wolf's typical appearance was it's size and the   
pair of huge brass horns crowning it's head as well as the trailing of   
brass spikes that began at the thing's forehead and ended at the   
creature's hindquarters. "oh, sh--" He began but was cut off as the   
thing lunged forward, opening it's jaws wide to take most of his   
shoulder into it's fangs. His blood splattered across his face and he   
screamed as pain lanced down his body.  
"HIEI!" Someone cried....Yusuke? Then suddenly he was flung   
aside like a sack of potatoes as the thing lumbered towards Yusuke and   
Kuwabara. Towards the meat. Hiei tried to stand but he felt a sudden   
numbness fill his limbs and he fell almost as soon as he'd managed to   
get up. He looked up with dimming vision and saw the greenish ooze   
falling from the creature's mouth like saliva. ~Poison...?~ He thought   
just as his vision faltered again. Then all he could see was Kurama for   
a moment, still in the wolf-creature's path. "K....Ku...Kurama....."   
He managed slowly, fighting to regain consciousness but inevitably   
failing just as the creature lunged for Yusuke.  
Yusuke saw Hiei fall again and narrowed his eyes at the grinning   
creature. There was no turning back now. Koenma had definitely gotten   
them into one hell of a situation this time. He was only hoping that   
his luck would hold out long enough for him to survive all this. When   
the creature lunged he jumped back, narrowly avoiding the snap of it's   
teeth. He then lifted on hand, hoping this would work and sited down   
his arm at the creature as he called, "REI GUN!" And then fired.   
The ball of spirit energy went just as it was aimed, taking out   
the creature's eye with a dull explosion of wetness. The creature   
howled in pain and Yusuke saw Kurama stir. The half-youko's eyes opened   
slowly and then widened in horror at the sight of Hiei. Suddenly the   
emerald eyes narrowed with rage and Kurama slowly got to his feet, his   
eyes hard and his jaw tight with anger. Then he gave an enraged cry and   
he was laced by a blue-white glow as his ki surged, lifting his hair as   
if blown by undercurrents of wind. The hair lengthened and bleached   
pale silver as a pair of fox-ears unfurled from the mane and Kurama's   
emerald eyes lightened to a gold that shone like the sun. Yusuke took a   
step back as Youko Kurama stretched to his full height, his eyes shining   
with anger and his sharp teeth bared in a hiss of rage.  
Suddenly the youko lept forward, throwing a handful of seeds   
towards the creature. The seeds took root as soon as they touched flesh   
and when Youko Kurama fell back to the ground he snarled wordlessly,   
prompting the roots further into the wolf-creature's body with an abrupt   
surge of ki. The seeds exploded into thorned vines beneath the huge   
wolf's skin, sending the creature into fits of high-pitched squeals as   
the thorn vines punched through soft flesh to root the writhing animal   
to the ground. It twitched a few times, whimpering pathetically, then   
died on it's feet as Youko Kurama watched the thing die with a   
disturbing smile of satisfaction on his beautific, blood-streaked face.  
"Geez, Kurama...." Yusuke whispered. He'd never seen the youko   
THAT pissed before! Then before they could take another step to help   
any of their comrades a wave of power-ridden fear hit them. Yusuke fell   
to his knees from the sudden weakness in his limbs and when he looked he   
saw Youko Kurama also falling, seeming rather surprised by the fact.  
"Now THAT wasn't nice...." Said a voice from above. "You   
shouldn't have killed poor Baiden. He was just a pup after all...."   
"Who's there?!" Youko Kurama snarled. "Show yourself!!"  
The voice chuckled then a tall thin figure appeared in front of   
them. It was a young faintly elven man that stood there, looking at   
them both with a look of amusement on his stunningly beautiful features.   
"Now, now...no need to get testy." He said lightly, keeping his arms   
crossed over his chest calmly. His whole body radiated an aura of fear   
and Yusuke suddenly found himself shivering, though he wasn't at all   
cold.  
"Fuck off." Youko Kurama hissed, using language that Shuuichi   
would have paled at, but the man before them only laughed in amusement   
then calmly walked to stand before the youko.  
"Oh, you hate me don't you?" The elf chuckled. Youko Kurama   
shuddered down to his bones and lowered his head. The fear was swimming   
just behind his eyes, though he fought with all his might. "Is it   
because I hurt the pretty little koorime? Because I may have killed   
your little fuck-buddy just as easily as swatting a fly?"  
Sudden rage allowed him to look up, but the fear washing over him   
from the elven man's aura kept him rooted to the spot, only able to   
glare up at that beautiful face in rage. He silently wished he could   
smash in that lovely face. The elf chuckled and lifted a hand to touch   
the youko's face. Youko Kurama shivered violently and turned away,   
bringing yet another chuckle from the strange elven man.  
"Just who are you?" Yusuke finally managed.  
The elf smiled beautifully and in a lovely voice said, "I am Shyr.   
Keeper of this castle and follower of the Hand of Daiyn."  
"Daiyn?" Yusuke gasped, feeling another wave of fear hit him   
alongside the ache of many hurts along his body.  
"Yes..." Shyr answered matter-of-factly. "Daiyn is the opposite   
of Ra'daiyn, whom you obviously serve."  
"What gives you that idea?" Yusuke grumbled irritably.  
At that Shyr swept forward in a flow of graceful movement and took   
the pendant that was draped around the human's neck into his palm. "You   
carry his symbol. Like pulls to like. So therefore you either serve   
the god, or you serve his people, which is just as offensive to me. No   
doubt you were given this by Sha'veda, the whore of Pa'Tien. She still   
searches for him? One would have thought she'd have gotten the clue by   
now."  
"Love isn't easily forgotten, demon." Yusuke growled.  
Shyr tilted back his head and gave a rich laugh. "Love?! Is that   
honestly what she told you?!? Oh, my she is more conniving than I   
thought!" He then looked down at Yusuke with a patient patronizing look   
as he said, "She loves him no more than she would love the stepping   
stone in her garden path. He is but a way for her to meet an end. With   
him there she is once again the regal whore, the queenly vagabond. She   
has no real purpose in life other than to leech off of those who will   
let her. Poor Pa'Tien was one of those." He then straightened and   
flipped back a strand of dark hair from over his shoulder, hid pale blue   
eyes laughing cruelly. "You should be glad I spared him from having to   
meet such a fate."  
"Is he dead?" Youko asked.  
Shyr only grinned widely and said, "Perhaps you'd like to see for   
yourself?"  
Youko Kurama glared at him in return and Shyr only gave a slight   
nod.  
"I'll take that as a yes." He said, then suddenly Kurama gasped   
as he was slammed with an almost tangible wave of fear that sent his   
blood running cold. He was frozen in time as Shyr only laughed and   
slammed a fisted backhanded blow into his cheek, sending him reeling   
back as he tasted blood in his mouth. Suddenly a knee was jammed into   
his stomach while an elbow cracked down on the back of his neck with a   
blow that hammered down to the ground. He could hear Yusuke screaming   
behind the dull ringing in his ears and when he ventured his eyes open   
he saw that the human was still relatively unhurt while Shyr was moving   
in for another crack at him. He stood, wanting to avoid the attack, but   
found that his reflexes were slow when Shyr drove an elbow into his   
ribs, no doubt cracking a few, before he lifted his fist up to connect   
with the youko's jaw.  
He was momentarily blinded and stumbled back clumsily, reaching   
into his hair for the rosewhip, but before he could even get there,   
Shyr's foot snapped out of nowhere, connecting with the side of his head   
and sending him flying back into a wall a few feet away. He was   
unconscious before he even hit the wall.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
~~I'm starting to get restless....and that's not a good thing. I   
can feel the Beast hiding somewhere behind my eyes, just waiting.....   
waiting.... and I keep remembering words that I'm not sure where they   
come from....~~  
  
The Sad-Eyed abruptly lowered his hand from scratching on the   
wall, and leaned with an almost breathless sigh against the cool stones.   
The air seemed thinner, and somewhere he could feel something cold and   
harsh in him beginning to stir. He didn't like that part of him...it   
made him angry. Somedays he would feel it shift and wonder if there   
would ever be a day when he would be without it....he wondered if there   
ever was a day without The Beast. Then suddenly before his thoughts   
could wonder more the grate on the opening above was opened and   
something heavy was flung down into the darkness of his cell.  
It was a person, with long red hair and pale beautiful skin that   
seemed all the paler for the dark blue chinese tunic he was wearing.   
The redhead cursed angrily as he came to a stand and began looking into   
the darkness around him. The Sad-Eyed was certain that he couldn't be   
seen for the redhead hadn't had time to adjust to the sudden darkness.   
He shifted away from the wall he was leaning on and croutched so that he   
could better investigate this newcomer. He was nothing like Storyteller   
had been. His eyes were large, but wary and his fair face was marred by   
dark bruises that spoke of an earlier quarrel. The new redhaired   
stranger intrigued him beyond comprehension, for he'd never seen anyone   
like this one, and he found himself moving closer and closer until he   
saw the redhaired human's emerald eyes widen with a gasp of surprise.  
He didn't let it bother him as he watched the redhead with curious   
storm-cloud gray eyes. He wasn't sure what to make of this new thing   
from far away, so what else could he do but go closer?  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
Kurama gave a gasp of surprise as his eyes slowly adjusted,   
allowing him to see the pair of storm-cloud eyes gazing at him as well   
as the lean winged figure crouched down to look at him curiously. His   
captors had delighted in telling them all of the Beast that lived in   
this hole, and how it would eat anything thrown to it for they starved   
it for months before tossing some poor bastard down to it. From the   
looks on their faces as they related the tale they got a kick out of the   
whole deal. He began to slowly inch back from the creature, moving from   
out of the circle of light he'd been seated in.  
The creature moved calmly around the light and Kurama immediately   
got the sense that he'd done the wrong thing. It apparently didn't like   
the light, so he probably should have stayed there.... ~Too late now...~   
He thought, inching further back. The creature continued approaching   
and gave a low sound like a growl before moving forward quicker, causing   
him to lose his balance and fall ungracefully on his rear. The creature   
gave a grunt and he winced from the pain the sudden landing caused.   
When he looked up he saw that the figure was directly in front of him,   
looking at him with eyes that were now a swirling blue-green. He choked   
out a yelp and tried to scoot again, but suddenly felt a solid heaviness   
on his chest that pushed him flat to the floor. He gave a gasp of pain   
when the forceful collision of stone-floor and bruised back pushed the   
air from his lungs, and he closed his eyes, pretty certain that he was   
about to die. The cut on his eyebrow had leaked blood into his eyes,   
which stung, but he didn't really care that much. He was about to die   
after all.  
Suddenly to his surprise he heard the sound of quick intakes of   
breath above him. Sniffing...the creature was sniffing him. The   
realization shocked him and when he looked up he felt the weight on his   
chest ease slightly. "Human?" A rough voice asked and Kurama gave a   
start of surprise. The creature's face then moved closer so that it   
could sniff him more thoroughly and he could feel it's breath on his   
face as it sniffed at him. He gulped slightly and was taken completely   
aback when something wet lightly touched the cut on his eyebrow followed   
by a sting of pain. It was lapping blood from the wound to taste him   
now...what kind of Beast was this? "But not Human." It concluded and   
lifted it's weight from his chest, allowing him to sit up. "What are   
you?" It asked curiously.  
"I could ask the same. I'm Kurama. Who are you?" He answered,   
his apprehension lifting a great deal.  
There was a momentary pause before the "Beast" finally said, "I   
cannot remember what my name was." Was the somewhat sad answer. "But I   
remember him calling me The Sad-Eyed."  
"'Him?'" Kurama repeated, feeling sympathy for this poor   
creature. "Who is 'him?'"  
He saw The Sad-Eyed lift a clawed finger in the direction of a   
corner where a huddled body sat, looking very thin and also very dead.   
Kurama blinked in surprise and crawled towards the body, noticing the   
rapid blinking light beneath the aged cloth. He lifted the cloth away   
and heard The Sad-Eyed give a low growl of protectiveness. It was the   
Compass Pendant that counterparted the pendant that Sha'veda had given   
them. He sighed sadly and lowered the pendant back into it's proper   
place beneath the dead man's shirt. The Sad-Eyed gave a grunt of   
approval. "Pa'Tien." He concluded, looking at the body as if to   
communicate his "how dare you be dead" to the dead man's spirit.  
"Pa'Tien?" The Sad-Eyed echoed in confusion. "What is that? A   
name? Are you a Giver of Names?"  
Kurama looked at him with pity. "No, I can't give names. I was   
sent to find your friend...we'd been hoping he'd still be alive though."  
"He is alive." The Sad-Eyed answered. "He lives in the   
Tapestries of my mind's eye, and in the land of his god where he feels   
the sun and the wind as he soars through skies bluer than the Eye of the   
World."  
Kurama blinked. ~What kind of Beast indeed!~ He thought in   
amazement. Then finally he said, "Would you mind letting me see you? I   
can't really make you out in all this dark."  
The Sad-Eyed gave a low grumble of a noise, then slowly moved   
within the circle of light in the center of the room. Kurama gulped   
slightly as The Sad-Eyed raised up on two feet, stretching to a height   
near that of 7 and a half feet. On his shoulders were a pair of huge   
black leather wings that were folded close to his body, and strangely   
there was a long graceful tail twitching slightly behind him while his   
long fingers were tipped by long talons. His hair was an incredibly   
long mane of black that fell almost to his calves while his face was   
somewhat feline, but incredibly beautiful save for all the dirt and the   
single scar arching up his right jaw up towards his eye. And oddly   
enough, there was a pair of delicate black-furred cat-ears perched on   
his head, swiveled forward towards Kurama as the half-youko gaped in   
shock. The eyes that watched him were prismatic, shifting colors each   
time The Sad-Eyed moved his head, and though more beautiful than most   
anything Kurama had seen in his life, his eyes held the sadness of the   
world. ~Great Inari....I've stumbled on a fallen god!~ Kurama mentally   
sputtered just as The Sad-Eyed fell back into a seeming habitual crouch   
and moved towards him.  
"You stare at me as if you've seen a ghost." The Sad-Eyed   
commented curiously. Only then did Kurama notice the purr in The Sad-  
Eyed's voice. Whatever he was, he'd once been a nekojin, cat demon.   
Now the only question was: What had changed him?  
"I...I...." Kurama stammered, still in shock. "I was expecting   
something else...."  
The Sad-Eyed gave a low chuckling sound. "Oh? A Beast?" He   
said, his eyes suddenly a bright gold like the sun and twinkling with   
amusement.  
Kurama blinked at him. "Well....yes...."  
The sadness returned slowly to The Sad-Eyed's features, giving his   
eyes a dark silvery gray color. "There is a beast here, you know." He   
whispered and Kurama started. "He's here.....sleeping in the caverns of   
my thoughts...hiding behind my eyes...."  
Kurama gulped. "Do you know of any way out of here, Sad-Eyed?"  
"For you or for me?" Was the reply.  
"Well....for both of us, of course." He answered and the Sad-Eyed   
grunted.  
"There is no way out for me..." The Sad-Eyed replied. "But for   
you there may be...if we are very careful, and you can learn to trust me   
in but a few moments."  
Kurama blinked slightly and saw the look of complete seriousness   
in the Sad-Eyed's silvery gaze. "How?" He asked.  
For a moment the Sad-Eyed contemplated him then finally shifted to   
point to the only flat wall in an otherwise circular room. "That is a   
door. Whenever they throw someone or something down here, and the Beast   
takes it, the door opens. Usually when both the Beast and I are asleep.   
The Others come in and take the thing that the Beast killed, and drag it   
away. I don't know why they do this, but everytime, for as long as I   
have been here, what was killed is always taken away when I wake up   
again."  
Kurama continued looking at the door all through the explaination.   
"So.....I basically play dead?" He said finally and The Sad-Eyed turned   
to look at him.  
"Something like that." He answered. "This is where you must   
trust me."  
Kurama stared at him for a long moment then said, "Go on."  
The Sad-Eyed nodded and said, "The Beast has taught me things.   
He's taught me that I can take the breath of another and take their   
life...but in time I can give it back. That is if I am awake in time   
and the body is still in good enough condition...."  
"You mean...you want to take my breath and basically kill me?   
Then bring me back?" Kurama gasped, his eyes wide with shock. He'd   
heard very powerful and very old nekojins could do such things, but he'd   
never met one that had survived long enough to gain such a power. That   
meant that Sad-Eyed was well over a thousand years old.... He gulped   
slightly as the Sad-Eyed continued looking at him patiently. Then   
finally he said, "Alright...A slim chance is better than no chance."  
"Then let us begin." Sad-Eyed said calmly, then took a few steps   
back. Suddenly his eyes colored to bright crimson and burned with inner   
fire as his lips drew back in a snarl and his cat-ears flipped back.   
Kurama scrabbled back to a wall with a gasped yell and turned back in   
time to see the Sad-Eyed dig his claws into the stone floor, leaving a   
score of deep rends just before he pounced at the half-youko. Kurama   
felt sudden fear slid up his spine and he closed his eyes, screaming as   
sudden pain tore into his shoulders. He heard the sounds of yowls and   
tearing cloth and the sound of someone screaming from very far   
away...wait...that was his voice.... That was his screaming as The Sad-  
Eyed Beast tore him apart.  
  
(*Author Note: No doubt I'm way off my mark about nekojins in general,  
but I based MY idea of nekojins on the cat-demons in Stephen King's  
Sleepwalkers. I found them extremely interesting, so I simply evolved  
them a bit and made them prettier. ^^ *)  
  
Part Two Coming Soon!   
Give me some Reviews to tell me ya want it! =D  
~Dark Youko 


	2. The Cat in the Bag

  
The Heart of the Sad-Eyed: Part II  
Written By: Dark Youko  
  
  
As before, all standard disclaimers apply. The characters of YYH are   
not my creation, but that of Yoshihiro Togashi, however (yet again) I   
stake my claim to The Sad-Eyed and all characters not affiliated with   
YYH in this fic. And as before, please read and review, I'd love to   
hear from you.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
"KURAMA!!!" Hiei coughed, leaning heavily on Yusuke. He had   
almost no strength and he'd only regained consciousness a few moments   
ago. Yusuke had told him about Kurama being tossed to a Beast in a   
whole not far from them and he hoped Kurama was strong enough to defend   
himself. ~Damned fox! Don't let some stupid Beast kill you!~ He   
thought towards the hole.  
  
There was a long silence and Yusuke and the others watched as   
Shyr's men looked anxiously down the hole, as if hoping to catch a bit   
of the show for themselves. "What's takin' 'im so long?? Damn!" One of   
them hissed angrily, tossing a stick down the opening in frustration.  
  
"Ah, it always takes 'im a bit..." Another grinned to the anxious   
one. "'e's got to get a taste for 'em first...."  
  
All of them chuckled in unison, grinning obscenely as the inched   
closer to the hole. Suddenly there was a loud snarl that echoed out   
from the pit and all of them gave a yell of excitement. Under all the   
hoots and yells Hiei could hear Kurama screaming as the Beast yowled.   
"NO!!" He yelled, lurching away from Yusuke to push past the men   
looking into the opening.  
  
"'EY!" One of them yelled and he suddenly felt strong arms   
grabbing him, pulling him back just enough to keep him from leaping   
down. What he saw down in the dark hole made his blood cold. Kurama,   
bloody and torn, held in the arms of some winged monster as it kept him   
still with long talons dug into his shoulders. It was sucking the life   
out of him in a continuous breath of power between them.  
  
"NOOO!!!!" He screamed and the thing looked up at him. It's eyes   
were bright red and there was blood streaking its face. "DAMN YOU!!!"   
He yelled and kicked, glaring at the creature with enraged crimson eyes.   
He managed to get free of one of the men and was on his way down to help   
Kurama when the creature dropped the half-youko to the ground with a   
thud and lept to met him. It gave a cat-like scream and lashed out with   
long talons. He cried out in surprise when he felt them rake down his   
face from brow to chin before Shyr's men pulled him back and threw him   
back to Yusuke and Kuwabara.  
  
"My god!" Yusuke gasped, seeing the claw marks. Shyr's men   
slammed down the iron bar cover to the hole with a few hoots of delight.   
He was bleeding from four very light claw marks lining his face and he   
gasped as he felt his body protest to his sudden movements. But he   
didn't care about that.... He cared about Kurama. About a fox who was   
now probably being devoured by something that he couldn't even begin to   
describe.  
  
~Kurama...~ He thought, feeling hot tears sting his eyes. ~I'm   
sorry.....~  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
The Sad-Eyed moved quickly from the body of his new red-haired   
human friend. He curled with a quickness that seemed like appeased   
satisfaction into his corner of the room and closed his eyes as if he   
were asleep. He'd done well in controlling the Beast, but he felt bad   
to have hurt the little dark-haired boy. He hadn't meant to do   
that...but if the boy had jumped down he would have ruined   
everything....  
  
Moments after he'd "fallen asleep" sure enough, men came into the   
room to drag away the human's body. Soon it would be time. He could   
feel Kurama's life pressing against his skin, waiting to give him just   
the right moment before it decided to fly away. It was like holding an   
anxious bird in the palms of his hand, waiting for the moment just   
before it escaped him to place it back in it's safe guilded cage....he   
only prayed when the bird returned...there wasn't a cat waiting.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
Yusuke had to turn away when they brought Kurama back from out of   
the pit. He'd been torn into quite badly, and he was covered in blood.   
His mouth was slightly open and a thin line of blood trailed down his   
cheek from those pale lips while his once bright emerald eyes were still   
open, and dim of all life. Hiei looked at the body of his lover and   
friend as if he too had died in that pit, then slowly and very gently he   
reached out to close those once beautiful eyes for the last time. He   
let the tears trail his cheeks this time, but he managed to keep down   
the sob building in his chest. He wouldn't give Shyr the joy of seeing   
him grieve for his beloved yet. He would do that when it was just him   
and the stars, but for now....he kept his grief huddled close to his   
chest and remained silent.  
  
Shyr grunted. "Hmph. I would have thought he would last longer   
in there with what he did to Baiden... oh well...." He waved his hand   
boredly at them. "Take the others to a cell and put the body with the   
other fodder." He said with a yawn then moved from out of his seat into   
a building nearby. Hiei sent a string of choice curses after him as he   
was dragged away. Suddenly it began to rain, as if the sky was weeping   
with them for their lost friend.  
  
Kurama was taken to a pile of aging bones and thrown atop them   
like a sack of potatoes. The Sad-Eyed in the meantime chose that moment   
to let the bird back into the cage. Breath filled his lungs in a sharp   
gasp and his eyes flew open. The first thing he was aware of was   
pain...he'd been ripped and shredded by Sad-Eyed's claws, but   
surprisingly there was nothing really serious about the cuts he'd   
recieved. It was enough to draw a bit of blood, but nothing too painful   
or too deep. His muscles were tight and his head ached something awful,   
but he was glad for it...it told him he was alive.  
  
~What a horrible feeling it was being dead...~ He thought, moving   
slowly from the pile of bones. His thief's instincts kicked in and he   
moved stealthily back to the hole leading to the Sad-Eyed's cell. He'd   
said there was a door somewhere...and that way he could find Hiei and   
the others, too. He moved then to a door not far away and quietly   
opened it with a minumum of squeaking. There was a long staircase   
leading down that was lit by torches on each side of the wall. He moved   
silently down the stairs and found himself in an adjoining hallway with   
numberous doors. There was only one guard. ~Stupid...~ He thought   
with a triumphant grin. One guard would be easy to get passed.  
  
He moved from peering past the wall to lean against the left wall   
of the stairs, where he wouldn't be seen. He then reached into his hair   
and brought out just the seed he was looking for. With a quick flare of   
youki he brought the little thing to a sprout that looked much like a   
miniature venus flytrap. "Go." He whispered. "Trap."  
  
Then he crouched and set the seed into the hall. As commanded the   
little plant slowly inched its way to the guard and began wrapping   
around the guard's ankle. He went back to leaning against the wall, and   
with a snap of his fingers his youki caused the sprout to grow into a   
full sized plant that in seconds had wrapped the guard in a cocoon of   
green thorned vines. He heard a series of muffled cries which became   
more insistant as the guard apparently noticed the huge Venus Flytrap   
bloom poised over him as if looking at him and considering him very   
tasty. He grinned to himself and had to cover his mouth with his hand   
for a moment to keep from laughing.  
  
Finally and quite calmly he turned the corner, out in plain sight   
to the trapped guard. The guard's eyes widened considerably as he   
spotted Kurama. That was the guy they'd killed not even an hour ago!   
"Surprise." Kurama grinned and tweeked the man's nose, who flinched.   
"Now...you're going to tell me which of these rooms my friends are   
in...or I'll have my little friend here chew your toes off one at a time   
until you DO tell me."  
  
The man gulped and the Venus gave a convincing snap of it's jaws,   
causing the man to flinch then nod enthusiastically to Kurama's   
suggestion. Kurama moved the vines from the man's mouth, putting a   
finger to his own lips to signal that the man should be quiet. "I'll   
tell you anything!" The man whispered intensely. "Here, my keys are in   
my left pocket."  
  
Kurama lifted the keys with raised eyebrows and mumbled, "Why   
thank you..." as the man continued in his babbling.  
  
"Your friends are at the end of the hall...second door to the end   
on the right. Please don't let it eat me!" The guard babbled   
mindlessly, sweating profusely.  
  
Kurama suddenly looked up at him with bright emerald eyes and a   
serious glare. "Which door leads to the hole you threw me down?" He   
insisted.  
  
"To the Beast?!" The guard stammered and Kurama allowed the venus   
to tighten it's grip slightly. "*Gack!* Alright, alright!! It's the   
big doors on the left in the middle of the hall...." he gagged out.   
"But anyone who's ever gone in there while it was awake has never made   
it out! So go on in there you ghost of a thing! I hope it kills you   
again!!"  
  
Kurama frowned and put the vines back around the man's mouth.   
Once he turned to go down the hall and find his friends, he allowed the   
venus to swallow the guard and suck on him for a while....it wouldn't   
hurt him much, but he would have a plant complex for the rest of his   
life.... He went to find Hiei and the others first, and once he'd   
reached the cell it took him a while to get the right key, but as soon   
as he found it he unlocked the door and swung it open with effort. It   
was heavy and iron-reinforced, so it took a moment. Then he moved away   
from the door and looked into the room.  
  
Yusuke looked up at him and gaped in shock. "Kurama! We thought   
you were dead!" He cried in surprise. He was bent over Hiei, who   
looked pale and very sickly. Kuwabara sat not far from Yusuke, gaping   
at his newly-revived friend in shock.  
  
"I was." He answered and ran to join Yusuke and Kuwabara at   
Hiei's side. "What happened?" He gasped seeing the greenish wound on   
his lover's shoulder.  
  
"That damned wolf you killed bit Hiei and poisoned him." Yusuke   
answered with a growl. "Damn!" He cursed suddenly. "All this has   
happened already and we haven't even found Pa'Tien yet!"  
  
"I have." Kurama answered as he checked Hiei's fever. It was   
alarmingly hot. Yusuke looked at him expectantly and he slid his gaze   
over to his friend. "He was down in the pit with me and The Sad-Eyed.   
He was dead for a long time from what I saw."  
  
"Dammit!" Yusuke cursed then suddenly froze. "Waitaminute...The   
Sad-Eyed? Who the hell is that??"  
  
"The guy who saved my life by killing me." He answered with a   
grin, confusing his friend just as he had intended to. Then he returned   
his attention to Hiei. "Well, there's good news and bad news. He   
hasn't progressed to fatal yet, so if we get back to Koenma and Botan   
soon, we should be able to save him. The bad news is that his fever is   
VERY bad, and if we aren't out of here within an hour or so he will   
progress to fatal and there won't be anything we can do."  
  
Yusuke gave a start then said, "Well then let's get the hell out   
of here!"  
  
Kurama grunted as he lifted Hiei into his arms. "Not yet. I've   
got to get Sad-Eyed. I won't leave him here alone...he did save my   
life."  
  
Yusuke stared at him in disbelief for a long time then finally   
raised his hands in surrender and said, "Alright, alright. But let's   
find this 'Sad-Eyed' before we get attacked and end up losing Hiei to   
this poison!"  
  
Kurama nodded and took off in a quick run down the hall towards   
The Sad-Eyed's cell.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
~~I think I've given up. I'm not waiting for anything   
anymore....I'm just here...just existing.... Is that enough? I imagine   
myself screaming out to the sky and someone hears...someone cares. But   
in the end it's a dream... A dream that makes me sad each time I realize   
I'm awake. Though the nights are long and quiet, I can't find it within   
me to hate the moon's smiling face. I think to myself, At least someone   
other than me knows how to smile....~~  
  
  
The Sad-Eyed finished scrawling the words on the wall he leaned on   
with a low sigh. It would be the last thing he ever wrote, and in time   
he would forget it had been him to scrawl them into the floors and walls   
of his prison. In time he would forget about the body in the corner and   
the brief little flashes of light that had at one time made him happy.   
He would forget those things, for they seemed unimportant, and simply   
wait.   
  
Wait to see if there was truly anyone out there....  
  
Then suddenly his thoughts were shocked to a stand-still as the   
door to his cell swung open heavily. He gave a low growl at this   
disturbance, the Beast in him rising up enough to color his eyes burning   
red. How DARE they! He thought as he hissed out a snarl in the doors   
direction, expecting it to close as it usually did.  
  
But it didn't. Instead he saw a tall redhaired and surprisingly   
familiar figure peek into the room. "Sad-Eyed? Are you alright?"   
Kurama called and his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked up at the   
human oddly.  
  
"Wha-what are you doing?" The Sad-Eyed asked in puzzlement, his   
eyes coloring to deep forest green. "You should have left this place   
already...."  
  
Kurama looked at him as if he were crazed. "I couldn't leave you   
here!" He answered and The Sad-Eyed gave a start.  
  
Then slowly a disbelieving smile curved his lips as he felt tears   
sting his eyes. "You cared." He whispered, thinking in that moment he   
was truly happy. He had a friend.  
  
Kurama smiled back at him and behind him he heard someone   
worriedly whisper, "Kurama... Is IT in there??"  
  
Kurama turned over his shoulder to smile to someone he couldn't   
see. "No. Everything's alright."  
  
"Well, let's hurry up and get out of here!" The person said   
finally and Kurama nodded.  
  
"Come on Sad-Eyed. We're getting out of here." Kurama said,   
looking at him with kind emerald eyes. The Sad-Eyed nodded then   
looked to the body of Pa'Tien.  
  
"Wait. I have to do something." He moved away from the wall   
towards the Storyteller's body. Very carefully he moved the pendant   
from around the dead man's neck and curled it into his palm. The   
flashing jewel stilled its flashes as he did this and he smiled to the   
body and whispered, "Don't worry, my friend. I'll take care of   
this."  
  
There was no answer of course, but he felt the dead man's spirit   
give his own kind of assent, finally at the rest he deserved. Finally   
at peace.  
  
He stood up then and lifted the pendant up to place it around his   
own throat, tucking it into his tunic. Somewhere out there was someone   
who would want it, and he seemed destined to give it back to them. Then   
he turned back to Kurama and nodded as he moved to follow the redhead   
out in the hall.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
Yusuke stared in surprised awe at the man who followed Kurama out   
of the Beast's cell. He was so tall that Yusuke had to tilt his head up   
to see his face, and he seemed an impressive being however he looked at   
him. Sad-Eyed blinked as the lights of the hall momentarily blinded   
him, but then finally he looked at all of them with bright prismatic   
eyes that seemed suddenly alive with a new joy. Yusuke new the look.   
It was the look of a man that had seen nothing but stone walls for   
years, at the moment he was set free.  
  
Kurama closed the door back on the cell with a grunt and once more   
lifted Hiei up from where Kurama had sat him for a moment. Their time   
was slowly running out. As he did this The Sad-Eyed looked at the half-  
youko for a moment, then to the small fire-demon in Kurama's arms. A   
sort of guilty look crossed his features and he softly said, "What is   
wrong with the small one? He was not hurt too badly the last time I saw   
him...."  
  
"He was poisoned." Kurama answered. "When did you see him?" He   
asked in confusion and The Sad-Eyed lowered his head slightly as he   
looked at the redhead.  
  
"He tried to save you...but it was not to be." The Sad-Eyed   
replied and ran his fingers along the long cuts down Hiei's face.   
Yusuke noticed with a start that the cuts followed the Sad-Eyed's talons   
perfectly. "It was the only way I could think to stop him from jumping   
down and ruining everything...I am sorry."  
  
Kurama looked at the winged man for a long moment then finally   
said, "You can tell him your apology later, friend. Right now we have   
to get out of here so we can save him."  
  
The Sad-Eyed nodded and moved ahead of them. Suddenly his ears   
swiveled forward and he gave an experimental sniff at the air. "They   
are coming for you." He said calmly.  
  
"How many?" Yusuke asked with a start before he could stop   
himself. Somehow he had the impression that Sad-Eyed would know such a   
thing.  
  
He was right. "Twenty." He answered and Yusuke cursed.  
  
"Can we handle that many?" Kuwabara wondered aloud and was   
surprised by the Sad-Eyed's sudden change of stature.  
  
He stood straight with his tail lashing aggressively and his   
talons outstretched while his eyes burned bright crimson. "Leave them   
to me. Just follow my lead and we will make it out of here." He gave a   
low growl and whispered. "I swear by all that I am...we will."  
  
Before anyone could say anything else The Sad-Eyed took a few long   
strides down the hall, leaping up the stairwell before any of them could   
take another breath. They all looked at each other, then Yusuke   
shrugged and called, "Come on!" As he ran after their strange ally. He   
was met by the sounds of a fight and screams of fear as soon as he   
reached the stairwell, and by the time they were back in the courtyard   
the ground was littered with the bodies of numerous guards. Then he   
spotted Sad-Eyed on one side of the courtyard, finishing off the last of   
the guards by snapping the man's neck with a sharp crunch. He dropped   
the body uncaringly to one side as if he'd just wrung the neck of an   
unimportant chicken, then jerked his head to one side as if saying for   
them to follow as he spread his wings and lept forward, gaining more   
ground than he normally would have.   
  
Yusuke didn't ask questions, he simply followed. More guards lept   
out of the woodwork to attack them, trying to stop them, but they fell   
as quickly as they appeared when Sad-Eyed pounced them, mauling with his   
claws before taking off once more. Yusuke was suddenly glad that Kurama   
had freed Sad-Eyed, otherwise they would have never gotten past many of   
them. He was sure that his ki was at it's lowest right now, and there   
was no way he would fend off this many guards. He wasn't sure of the   
others, though, but it seemed a safe bet that all of them were pretty   
drained. Then suddenly he was hit by a tidal wave of fear that he knew   
was completely unfounded. Which meant that Shyr had just announced his   
presence.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
"Bravo, Reikai Tantai!" Shyr called. "You've befriended my   
Beast! You must be likable indeed!"  
  
The Sad-Eyed came to a stop suddenly looking up at a blank space   
of air with bright crimson eyes. "I see you, demon." He called. "And   
your tricks do not work on me."  
  
"Hmph!" Shyr answered, materializing slowly as he floated in   
midair exactly where Sad-Eyed looked. "I suppose one with the mind of   
an animal isn't suseptable to human fear." Shyr frowned.  
  
The Sad-Eyed only glared at him with eyes that were slowly fading   
to a golden color as bright as the sun. "No. You simply do not   
frighten me. I knew he-who-came-before-you. He who from which you   
sprang. You are simply a pale immitation of someone you can only hope   
to be." He said calmly and Shyr blinked, disbelief washing   
his lovely features.  
  
Then suddenly that face turned ugly with rage. "You DARE!" He   
hissed, bringing up one hand as he concentrated a bolt of power into a   
ball. "I'm BETTER than he was!!" He yelled and unleashed the bolt of   
white-hot power at the winged youkai, who lept into the air with a   
powerful flap of his wings.  
  
"You are but a boy to me." The Sad-Eyed answered. "You should   
learn not to toy with that which you cannot understand." Then suddenly   
he disappeared in a flash of black, reappearing right in front of Shyr   
with a snarl.  
  
Shyr tried to reel back away from the other demon, but cried out   
in surprise when the Sad-Eyed's claws dug a deep rend down his chest.   
He reeled back, falling to the ground on weak legs and touched the wound   
on his chest, seemingly surprised by the blood that covered his palms.   
He'd never been hurt like this before. His power and seclusion had kept   
him away from any true battle...he'd never known what it felt like to be   
struck by an enemy. He looked at Sad-Eyed in shock, his eyes suddenly   
fearful.  
  
The Sad-Eyed gazed back at him with impassive burning red eyes.   
"You have never known pain. So you were never meant to live. Suffering   
breeds character. Character breeds faith...without faith you have   
nothing." He touched the ground with both feet calmly and finally said,   
"You are simply a stone in a path that was laid long ago....my path.   
It's time that I started walking it again, one stone at a time....   
starting with you." Suddenly his eyes flared brighter as his clothes   
and hair were tossed around him as if by wind. His power reached it's   
max, sending his aura shining bright blue-white as it flared like flame   
above him like a column of white flame. And it seemed like he could   
hear The Sad-Eyed's voice from far away echoing out, "I remember   
you...."  
  
Shyr sank back, his eyes suddenly bright with fear. He'd never   
known what would happen should he let the Beast free...his father had   
warned him long ago, but now he knew why. He was still young and knew   
little of the world past their tattered castle...but he knew his own   
death when he looked it in the face. Strangely enough...he accepted it.   
He saw in those burning eyes something with an infinity behind   
it...something that couldn't hate him, despite all the agony he saw   
there. He saw the face of something surreal and forgiving. As the   
thought hit him he stood slowly before the blinding figure in front of   
him and lowered his head and closed his eyes. He was ready.  
  
The Sad-Eyed's power lashed out at him sweeping him into a tidal   
wave of wind that brought him ever closer to the burning figure of The   
Sad-Eyed. Shyr gave a gasping cry as the power overtook him, wrapping   
him in a shroud of searing heat. When he opened his eyes all he could   
see were The pale blue eyes of the Sad-Eyed...and the wealth of   
understanding offered there. "It's time." Said the Sad-Eyed's voice   
and then all he could see was white as his consciousness fluttered away   
like a bird freed from a cage.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
Yusuke cringed slightly away from the brightness suddenly flooding   
the place. Yusuke could see the winged youkai's ki even from far away.   
It shone like a pillar of bright blue-white light, with a faint outline   
of The Sad-Eyed in it's center. He gulped slightly, wondering just what   
they had set loose when he saw Shyr being slowly drawn towards the   
pillar by wind. He watched in awe as Shyr was drawn into Sad-Eyed's   
power, seeming engulfed by the blinding light. Then after what seemed   
like forever, Sad-Eyed's power slowly relaxed and Yusuke wasn't blind   
anymore. When he looked up again he saw that the Sad-Eyed stood where   
he had been, completely relaxed, with the limp form of Shyr cradled in   
his arms in an almost protective gesture. ~What the...??~ He   
mentally sputtered and looked back at Kurama who shrugged.  
  
They ran quickly to where the Sad-eyed stood, and Yusuke blinked   
at the odd look of tenderness in the winged youkai's eyes as he looked   
down at Shyr's slack features. "I remember him." The Sad-Eyed said   
suddenly startling them. "And he's made remember a bit of myself as   
well...." He paused a moment and then said, "I'm taking him with me."  
  
"WHAT?!" All of them cried in unison.  
  
The Sad-Eyed simply looked at them with a calm blue-green gaze.   
"I'm taking him with me." He repeated again, as if it were nothing but   
a simple statement of fact.  
  
Kurama only shook his head. "I don't know what's running through   
your head, Sad-Eyed...but I do know that we have to get Hiei out of here   
before he gets any worse...."  
  
Yusuke looked at the pale unconscious fire-demon in Kurama's arms   
and finally gave a nod of agreement. "Alright. But you'll have some   
explaining to do, Sad-Eyed."  
  
The Sad-Eyed nodded and followed after them as they quickly made   
their way to meet Botan back in the forest. Botan flustered slightly   
over the new people in the group and Hiei's worsening condition then   
moments later opened a portal that would take them back to Koenma's   
office.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
When Hiei first regained consciousness the first thing he saw was   
a pair of worried emerald eyes looking down at him. He felt a wash of   
relief hit him like a wave of warmth and sighed. "Kurama." He said   
roughly and felt strong arms encircle him.  
  
"Here, love....always." Kurama answered, holding Hiei tight.   
He'd stayed with the fire demon throughout the night after they'd given   
him the antidote for the poison running through his veins. The sound of   
that one rough voice made him happier in that moment than a thousand   
other words of comfort.  
  
"Does this mean that I'm dead too?" Hiei asked with a grunt.  
  
Kurama laughed despite the joyful tears welling in his eyes.   
"No...we're both alive. We're both safe."  
  
Hiei lowered his head to his lover's shoulder with a sigh. "Good.   
Dying from poison seems really stupid you know." Kurama laughed again,   
the sound like music to Hiei's ears. He'd thought he wouldn't hear it   
again. "How'd you survive?" He asked. "I saw you dead."  
  
"I know." Kurama answered, tightening his hold slightly. "But a   
friend helped me...it was the only way we could have escaped that place,   
Hiei. I'm sorry to have worried you."  
  
Hiei pushed back enough to look at the fox seriously. "Don't be   
sorry. Just don't do it again."  
  
Kurama smiled at him happily then nodded as he softly curled   
closer to the fire demon and whispered, "You got it."  
  
For a moment they sat there in that comfortable embrace then   
finally Hiei said, "So who is this 'friend' who saved you?"  
  
"I'll take you to meet him, if you'd like." Kurama said,   
uncurling slowly.  
  
Hiei nodded in agreement and Kurama uncurled from him completely   
then stood, reaching down to help Hiei to his feet. Hiei took the   
offered hand and stood up slowly, wincing at a twinge in his muscles.   
Kurama kept a hold of his hand as the fox led him out of the room into   
the hall where they walked to a door not far down the corridor of   
Genkai's Temple. Kurama knocked politely on the door and a deep voice   
responded with, "Come in."  
  
With that Kurama slid the door open and led Hiei into the room.   
Hiei blinked in surprise for a moment, then pulled Kurama back,   
narrowing his eyes at the man sitting not far away. It was the same   
monster he'd seen in the pit sucking the life out of Kurama...The Beast.   
Then the winged youkai looked at him with bright prismatic eyes and he   
knew immediately that this was not the same Beast. "Kurama...explain."  
  
"Hiei, this is Sad-Eyed. He's the one who saved us." Kurama   
answered, motioning to the winged demon. Hiei didn't move from his wary   
position. Kurama looked at him then said, "The only way I would have   
gotten out of that hole was for me to be dead...so he helped me fake my   
death so I could get everyone out of there."  
  
Hiei continued looking at those shifting prismatic eyes for a   
moment, seeing nothing but a sort of puzzled confusion. Reluctantly the   
fire demon dropped out of his wary stance and gave a slight grunt. He   
still didn't quite trust this youkai...and from what Hiei could tell   
Sad-Eyed's methods of "rescue" left something to be desired.  
  
At the sound of his grunt Sad-Eyed turned away from him,   
apparently forgetting that any hostility had taken place whatsoever, and   
looked back at the still dark-haired figure lying motionless on a pallet   
not far from him. THAT got an even more suspicious reaction, though no   
one saw it. His eyes narrowed to blazing crimson slits of resentment as   
his jaw muscles tightened and he growled out, "Shyr."  
  
His hand was on the hilt of the sword at his hip almost before he   
knew it and unsheathed not even a heartbeat following that. "Hiei,   
wait!!" Kurama called as he took a quick stride forward, but Hiei was   
beyond hearing. For a brief moment all he could hear was Shyr's   
laughter at his grief from seeing Kurama drug from the pit...Shyr's cold   
silver eyes taunting him when he'd been at his weakest.... Then suddenly   
when he stood directly over the still sleeping demon and raised his   
sword he felt a cold slice of pain implant itself just under his chin,   
digging itself into the soft flesh of his throat. He blinked and looked   
up at the source.  
  
A pair of shifting crimson eyes met him, now narrowed with a   
softly determined outrage. "I warn you, small one." Sad-Eyed hissed   
calmly, digging his talon a little bit farther into Hiei's throat. "If   
you intend to hurt him...you'll have to go through me...and know now you   
will not get far."  
  
Hiei blinked slightly and felt something warm trail down his neck   
in a thin line, then very slowly he lowered the sword to his side and   
stepped back a bit as soon as Sad-Eyed removed his talon. Kurama gave a   
sigh of relief behind him, and he felt the fox move closer. Although he   
was non-hostile at the moment didn't mean he couldn't glare a thousand   
death-wishes at both of the strange youkai in front of him. "What are   
you protecting him for??" He demanded, his fist tightening on the hilt   
of his sword. "He nearly killed us all, and it was HIM that stuck you   
in that hole in the first place!"  
  
The Sad-Eyed looked away, the crimson in his eyes fading to a   
bright leaf-green as he turned to look at the unconscious form lying at   
his feet. Then suddenly in a soft whisper he said, "No...it wasn't him.   
It was someone else. SomeTHING else. Something that was shaped by the   
one who did put me in that place...." He knelt down to sit near the   
dark-haired demon and Hiei didn't move to stop his glaring. "The demon   
that stuck me and Pa'Tien there was named Kaede. He has been a long   
time dead, from what I've gathered. He'd been consumed by his own power   
after using it to corrupt an innocent child, who'd forgotten everything   
that he'd once been. Kaede made him believe that he was evil, and that   
the boy would be his heir as soon as death claimed him. He used that   
boy to follow a religion that should have long since died before him."   
The Sad-Eyed sighed with a sad weariness as he motioned to the dark-  
haired figure before him. "This is the boy...Shyr. Now grown to a man,   
but remembering nothing."  
  
"Remembering nothing?" Kurama questioned in puzzlement. "What do   
you mean?"  
  
Sad-Eyed glanced at him for a moment then said, "I've cleared away   
all the filth and disease that Kaede festered in him...I healed him of   
that...but because of it he cannot remember what has transgressed during   
the pass of what I now know was over a thousand years."  
  
"You mean to say...." Hiei grated out. "That because he can't   
remember what he did.....We're supposed to forgive him?" He felt his   
jaw tighten again as he fought the urge not to blow both Sad-Eyed and   
Shyr away. His anger grew even more when Sad-Eyed just looked up at him   
with a calm and unaffected look. "He almost killed us!!" Hiei yelled   
angrily, feeling an explosion coming on. "What the hell are you doing   
protecting him?!"  
  
The Sad-Eyed only gave a low sigh and turned back to look at Shyr.   
"All will be revealed....soon." He answered cryptically then slowly   
reached out to gently brush a lock of dark hair from the younger demon's   
eyes. "Very soon." He added and Hiei looked at him as if he'd grown   
another head. Behind him Kurama wore a similar expression.  
  
Kurama opened his mouth to say something, but was abruptly cut off when Shyr turned his head slightly towards the source of the gentle   
touch with a soft moan. Kurama raised an eyebrow slightly just as   
Shyr's eyes slowly fluttered open. His eyes were still pale silvery-  
blue, but there was no malice to be seen, just confused wonder as he   
looked at the Sad-Eyed for a moment. Then a small frown creased his   
brow and he softly muttered, "Father...?" Kurama and Hiei both took a   
step back from complete shock, their jaws falling open in astonishment.   
The Sad-Eyed only smiled patiently. "You look different." Shyr   
continued, as if not even noticing the two shocked people next to him.   
"How long have I been asleep?" He asked sitting up slowly and rubbing   
the back of his hand against one of his eyes with a yawn.  
  
  
The Sad-Eyed only chuckled slightly. "A VERY long time. A lot of   
changes have occured."  
  
"Really?" Shyr yawned, seeming unperturbed. Then finally he slid   
his gaze to Kurama and Hiei who both stood frozen from shock. "Who are   
they? And why are they looking at us like that?"  
  
The Sad-Eyed looked at them and grinned wickedly. "That is Kurama   
and his friend Hiei. They've become recent friends of mine." Shyr   
blinked at him and he added, "You've been asleep a very long time, my   
son. It was these two and their compatriots that helped me to wake   
you."  
  
"Oh!" Shyr responded then knelt in a polite bow. "Thank you very   
much. I'm glad to meet you both." He said politely and Kurama gave a   
soft laugh of amazement.  
  
Hiei however, was not pleased. He gave a grimace and sheathed his   
sword so he could rub his temples. "I have a headache already." He   
growled and both Kurama and the Sad-Eyed laughed at him good-naturedly.   
Shyr on the other hand, blinked in confusion, wondering what was so   
funny.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
Sha'veda slowly lifted the compass pendant from the tall winged   
man's palm. She lowered her face to the pendant, washing the now   
unblinking jewel with her tears. "So." She said in a choked whisper.   
"This is it. My people will die by dawn...." She fell abruptly to her   
knees, her lovely features now wet with tears of despair.  
  
"No, my lady...." The winged man answered with a chuckle and she   
looked up at him with a glare. How DARE he laugh at her at a time like   
this! The man only continued to smile at her with bright golden eyes   
that slowly shifted to a golden-rust color. "Your people will rise and   
see the sun as they have for a thousand years...they will sing and dance   
in their festival and pray to a god that probably has ceised listening   
for years."  
  
She stood to face him, white-hot rage creasing her fine features.   
She couldn't help herself. She reached back and gave the man a sound   
slap to the face that left her hand stinging and part of her wrist   
stiff. "How DARE you?!?! Ra'Daiyn would not have abandoned us! We are   
his chosen!! His children!" She glared at him as he turned to look   
back at her and her anger only rose more as she saw he still wore a   
smile. "How...dare....you...?!" She slowly grated out.  
  
The man only continued to smile good-naturedly at her, the light   
golden color of his eyes accentuated more by the twinkle of amuzement   
there. "My lady...if you but had a mirror you would see how well anger   
suits you." She blinked at him with a huff of indignance and he leaned   
forward slowly to whisper, "I have it on very high authority, child of   
cats, that your god Ra'daiyn has not forgotten you...but rather....left   
you to your own resources." She gasped in shock, wondering how this   
stranger had known of her clan without her saying so to any of the   
investigators she hired. "You see....most gods don't really want to be   
worshipped...unless they're power hungry or mad. They just like to   
watch you grow and thrive after giving you a small push into the world.   
Don't let that push knock you down lady...it's so bothersome to have to   
help you back to your feet after so many years."  
  
She looked at the man in shock as he leaned away from her and she   
softly stammered, "Wh-who are you?"  
  
He smiled widely at her and she saw the tips of his sharp cat-like   
teeth peek out to indent his lower lip from merriment. His cat's ears   
swiveled forward and his tail twitched slightly as he said, "A cat   
that's just been let out of the bag." He answered and turned from her   
after giving a parting bow of farewell.  
  
She continued to blink at the strange man as she held the compass   
pendant in one hand for a moment, wondering just what he'd meant and   
when she couldn't see him anymore she looked back at the pendant in her   
hand. The pendant flashed momentarily at her and she had the sense that   
somewhere Pa'Tien was laughing at her too. The thought was comforting   
and she held the pendant close to her heart as she smiled to the sky.   
~Someday....my Pa'Tien.... we'll be together again.... I promise.~  
  
And as if in answer, the air around her seemed to warm slightly as   
a gentle breeze stroked her cheeks, drying away the tears there. Then   
finally she tucked the pendant into a pouch at her waist and turned to   
go back home.  
  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
  
"Father, I think they're still afraid of me..." Shyr frowned   
looking at the frozen figures of Yusuke and Kuwabara. He'd been polite   
to a fault, talked with them civilly...what more did they want? The   
aqua-haired koorime Yukina had been nice enough, but for some reason   
Yusuke and the tall redheaded Kuwabara seemed utterly shocked and aghast   
at his father's introduction. They'd gone at first from wary suspicion   
of him to frozen amazement. ~Humans are so wierd....~ He thought and   
sighed as he felt his father's hand touch his shoulder. He still wasn't   
used to the increase in height, but he had a brief rememberance that his   
father had always seemed taller than him...so it didn't bother him much   
standing beside the older demon. Standing near normal humans like   
Yusuke and Kurama was just baffling though... He turned to look at his   
father with an unhappy frown. "I've been nice...I don't know what else   
to say...."  
  
His father smiled at him, patting his shoulder lightly. "It's   
alright.... I think it's just because they aren't used to seeing you   
like this."  
  
He thought for a moment on his now full-grown appearance and   
concluded that was what was setting off his introductions with Yusuke   
and Kuwabara. ~I guess they knew me when I was little...~ He thought   
with a shrug and then looked at his father again. "Are we going to go   
home soon? I miss mom."  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara gave a series of overexaggerated coughs of   
shock, which both of them ignored.  
  
"Soon." His father answered. "We've got to say good-bye to   
everyone, remember?"  
  
"...oh yeah." Shyr nodded. "When are Kurama and Hiei supposed to   
show up? I'm getting bored."  
  
His father chuckled then suddenly stopped and looked up towards   
the entrance of the temple they were in. "Ah...speak of the devils.   
They're back." He said just as Kurama slid open the door.  
  
Shyr waved a welcome, not surprised in the least by his father's   
prediction. He'd been used to that for years. "Welcome back!" He   
smiled and Kurama waved back at him.  
  
"Hello, again. I see you've met everyone." He said and Shyr   
nodded.  
  
"Yes...Yukina is very nice," He answered then leaned forward to   
whisper, "but I don't know about those two.... They're kinda weird."  
  
Kurama looked passed him to the still-frozen Yusuke and Kuwabara   
and chuckled. "They get like that sometimes." He responded with a   
pleasant smile. Behind him Hiei stalked into the room silently with a   
glower still on his face. "We gave the pendant back to Koenma and   
explained the whole situation with you two." He then looked at Shyr's   
father with a puzzled look. "He told us that someone already gave   
Sha'veda Pa'Tien's pendant. Did you take it to her?"  
  
Shyr's father nodded. "Yes. I thought it was something I'd best   
take care of quickly."  
  
Kurama nodded in understanding and Hiei gave a grunt of sarcasm.  
  
Shyr's father only shook his head slightly and again laid a hand   
on Shyr's shoulder. "Well, we really must be going now.... We've been   
gone from home for far too long."  
  
Shyr gave a small laugh and looked at his father with a wicked   
gleam of amuzement. "Mom's gonna have a field day."  
  
Shyr's father shuddered slightly at the thought of the upcoming   
arguement and Shyr's grin only grew.  
  
"Well, it was good meeting you both." Kurama answered politely.   
"And once again Sad-Eyed, thank you."  
  
Shyr frowned. "Sad-Eyed? Who's that?" He asked in confusion.  
  
Shyr's father looked at him with patient blue-green eyes and said,   
"That's what an old friend used to call me during the time you were   
asleep. I got so used to it that I didn't bother to remember my real   
name."  
  
Shyr snorted. "You're so forgetful, Otousan."  
  
The older demon nodded sadly and Kurama blinked. "You mean you   
remember it now?" The half-youko asked blankly and "Sad-Eyed" nodded an   
affirmative. "Oh. That's great!" Kurama smiled charmingly. "What is   
it?"  
  
A sudden wicked grin crossed the taller youkai's features as he   
cheerfully answered, "I've had many in my life...but the one I'm most   
remembered as is Ra'daiyn." Kurama blinked and looked at him with wide   
eyes as his already pale features paled a bit more.  
  
Shyr raised an eyebrow. ~What's he so shocked about?~ He   
wondered, then looked behind him as he heard a sudden thud from around   
there. Yusuke and Kuwabara had both fallen over simultaneaously from   
shock, and Shyr blinked, resisting the urge to laugh as Yusuke's leg   
twitched slightly. ~Boy, humans are fun!~ He thought, hiding a smile   
behind his hand.  
  
The Cat-God Ra'daiyn gave a low chuckle and twitched his tail   
slightly as he patted Shyr's back slightly and said, "Well.... Time to   
go home and face your mother." He said and Shyr nodded as his father   
brought up a portal behind them. Shyr waved to Kurama and Hiei a final   
farewell, the former of which waved back numbly, then with that he   
stepped through the portal. Ra'daiyn turned to follow directly after   
him and gave another wicked grin as he added, "Wish me luck....Daiyn   
really does have an awful temper in the mornings." Then with that he   
was gone, leaving them all to stare at the dispersed portal in surprise.  
  
There was a moment of silence, then Kurama slowly doubled over   
with surpressed laughter until he couldn't hold it in any longer.   
They'd rescued a god and a demi-god... they'd almost been killed doing   
so.... They'd gained the favor of the most powerful nekojin born....   
And all Kurama could think about was the storm Daiyn would kick up as   
soon as her husband returned.   
  
  
  
Well, thanks everyone for reading!!  
I hope you enjoyed it! =)  
~Dark Youko~ 


End file.
